Prints Are Not Working!
In November of 2018, I got a Prusa i3 MK3 with a powder coated steel sheet. I have only printed PLA. It worked great for about a month and the prints were very high quality and never failed. Then the prints started to occasionally fail and when it worked it was very low quality. After 2 weeks the prints all started failing. For the last 6 weeks, I have not had a successful print. Sometimes the filament curls up around the extruder and causes problems when the first layer is laid down. Other times halfway through the print the print will move and has to be canceled. I have also seen warping, stringing, and overall worse quality on the print. I have tried using new filament to ensure that it is not because of moisture, I have tried using Aquanet Hairspray to keep the print stuck to the bed, I have changed the nozzle, and I have even recalibrated the entire printer. None of this seems to work. Help!
Re: Prints Are Not Working!
Rule 1 when using a Prusa: IGNORE all of the advice written for other printers on bed adhesion. They do not work as well as the Prusa PEI sheet when properly prepared. Seeing as how you had good prints, I suspect you're having simple adhesion problems. Try this:
1. Take your flex sheet and dunk it under the kitchen sink with some Dawn dishwashing soap. Don't use any fancy soaps.
2. Give it a rub down with a clean cloth or paper towel to remove all the gunk you spayed and stuck on it.
3. Dry it off with a clean paper towel. Avoid using any cloths that might have been previously used and have grease on them.
4. Avoid touching it at all costs.
5. Try printing again.
If you still have adhesion problems with parts lifting and moving about, try Jeff Jordan's "Life Adjust" method to re-calibrate your Live-Z. Again, avoid touching the bed.
When you have both your Live-Z properly calibrated and the PEI sheet properly clean, you should have very few adhesion problems. Yes, it's that simple.
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He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan
Re: Prints Are Not Working!
Rule 1 when using a Prusa: IGNORE all of the advice written for other printers on bed adhesion.
No.
Rule 1 is "Post in the correct forum".
Saves the moderators a lot of work and also gets the correct answer to your query quicker.
I will move this from "Awesome prints" to the Mk3 forum.
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: Prints Are Not Working!
I had the same issue.
Basically what you need to do to solve it is to regularly maintenance your print bed:
https://www.prusaprinters.org/top-6-tips-original-prusa-i3-3d-printer-maintenance/
tldr:
1. Buy Isopropyl alcohol of at least 90%, I got mine for Amazon and rub it on the print surface regularly (they say before every print but in my experience it's not needed every time)
2. if it's really not sticking at all anymore, even after using Isopropyl, use Acetone to clean it. (this actually did the trick for me when I had the issue) The acetone will make your print plate like new.
Re: Prints Are Not Working!
granted I only have the PEI sheet but I have never used Acetone. just dawn and water at my sink
I have a Prusa,therefore I research.